Southbridge schools welcome 4 new principals

Tuesday

Aug 12, 2014 at 10:48 PM

By Brian Lee TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

SOUTHBRIDGE — Plagued by a high turnover of administrators, the Southbridge school district welcomed new principals for all four buildings, as well as a new assistant principal, Stacy Burgess, at West Street Elementary School.

Melissa Earls, principal of Southbridge Middle/High School, said building leaders this summer had talked about setting a tone of high expectations for adults in the building, wanting it to trickle down to students.

Ms. Earls, the former principal of Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School in Springfield, said she was pleased with the assortment of new teachers who had been hired at the Southbridge building. The orientation for them is Aug. 20 and 21, with a full orientation for all teachers Aug. 25 and 26.

Ms. Earls said there will be a Grade 6 student/family orientation from 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 28

New this year will be an advisory program for middle school students, and a work-based learning program for high school seniors.

William R. Lataille, principal at Charlton Street Elementary School, said staff had been focusing on tying instruction directly to common core standards, and the building was on its way to being fully staffed.

The Charlton Street team, he said, had met with staff to look at and use data to drive instruction, and an instructional focus on reading comprehension will continue this year, said Mr. Lataille, most recently interim principal at Granite Valley Middle School in Monson, and a Southbridge high graduate.

Mr. Lataille said his school will also hold a meet and greet for parents and caregivers from 9 to 10 a.m. Aug. 29 in the cafeteria.

Speaking about new West Street School Principal Vinnie Regan, Superintendent Patricia Gardner said he was indicative of good candidates wanting to come to Southbridge.

A vetting committee consisting of parents and teachers unanimously chose Mr. Regan, the former principal at Hoosac Valley Middle and High School.

Mr. Regan said the recent building of a playground at the school was a tremendous showing of community support.

Ms. Gardner said the first person chosen for the West Street principal job took another position.

Speaking about new Eastford Road School Principal Mary Skrzypczak, previously a teacher in the district, Ms. Gardner noted that the district had made it a goal to employ experienced administrators, which Ms. Skrzypczak is not.

But Ms. Gardner said it kept coming up during the process that Ms. Skrzypczak, an "outstanding teacher," was the right person for this job, and she's already proven it with her work this summer.

Ms. Gardner said the district hopes to avoid further turnover.

The School Committee also voted 6-0 to appoint Educational Technology Director Aaron Osborne as the acting finance director until a permanent choice can be hired to replace the recently resigned Karin Sheridan.